12 Questions: Diana Nagorna

Last year I was lucky enough to meet Diana Nagorna at Dorie van Dijks studio in The Netherlands. She gave a very inspiring seminar on dress making. I took this great oppertunity to ask her some questions.

Vorig jaar ontmoete ik Diana Nagorna bij de Vilt werkplaats van Dorie van Dijk. Ze gaf daar een zeer inspirerende seminar over het vilten van een jurk. Ik maakte van deze gelegenheid gebruik en interviewde Diana voor mijn nieuwe reeks "12 vragen aan"

This interview with Diana is the first in a range of interviews with felt artist I greatly admire. And make felt in a fresh and fashionable way.

Dit interview met Diana Nagorna is de eerste in een reeks aan interviews met vilters waar ik veel bewondering voor heb en die vilt maken op een vernieuwende en modieuze manier.

Where did you grow up?
Donetsk Litvia

Where do you live now?
Charkov Litvia

What kind of education did you have?
The Artist academie of graphic design. I worked in graphic design for 3 years.

How did you learn about felting? 
Its a popular Russian Wearable

What do you like about felt, about your work?
The feeling I get from wool. its a passion, im hungry for felting. It makes me happy, and it makes other people happy and thats important. It also lets me travel to the Netherland, its very beautifull here.

What inspires you?
Travelling, I have an empty mind, and the images and new ideas come to me. In a traffic jam I have time to think about new things. All of nature is a inspiration, the ocean, mountains...Investigation to wool  in the proces. Having a relationship with the wool and it comes to me. The wool gives me the way.

What tip do you want to give to other felters? 
 Enjoy the proces, be patience.

Who is your favourite designer?
 Alexander Mc Queen , it gives me goosebumps, when I see his work!

What was the first thing you felted?
That is a horrible storie, I made a hedgehock while needle felting. It became a very ugly thing. At the time I wasn't happy with it, but now I can laugh about it. I started with felting, making doll sculptures.

Where did you learn to felt?
I learned it in the hedgehock needle felting workshop . At the time I started wet felting, it wasnt that well known. I learned it myself.

How would you describe your style?
Crazy and freaky, it makes me happy and to make that very feminine. It makes me even more happy.
 

I noticed most Russian women take very good care of themselves; make up, clothing, perfume the whole package.  I asked Diana and other Russian women at the seminar if they can explain why that is.
Russian women want something beautifull and unique, glitter and glamour, high heels, the inner feeling that gives. They didnt have much in the communistic regime. Thats why they put an extra effort in the things they did have. You only had one sweater, but you would wear it as a hat or a  skirt, so it seemed like you did have a choice in clothing and could look different everyday.

Did also brought me to the answer to the next question, why is it that so many beautifull felt comes from Eastern Europe and Russia?
Russian women became very creative, by the lack of choice in the Sovjet union. It is in there blood, in there roots.

Now the felting technique is more modern and very artistic in Russia.